DOGE at work

[Incogneeto]

so what's the difference? 
 

But, Trump!!!

[neurosis]

Of course I'd care then, because everyone, including you, knows that Soros can't be trusted.

I don't know that Musk or his band of kids can be trusted. I have no idea what they're doing in there and neither does anyone else.

If you were to hire an accountant to audit your books, you would necessarily need to let him / her look at ALL of your books, right?

Of course. But do auditors come in a lock an entire agency down so that nobody can see what they're doing? That isn't exactly transparency.

You have a bunch of unelected federal bureaucrats who have access to your personal data now, so what's the difference?

They've at least been vetted?  I have thought about that too.

[neurosis]

But, Trump!!!

No, the difference is that I would be pissed off at either. You, not so much. 

[MIL-TFP-41]

Given Musk's work with the Defense Department and Spacex I'm sure he's been thoroughly vetted.
I don't know about his team of boy geniuses.

Pretty sure him having been vetted for doing work for the DOD doesn't give him clearance to check out others financial records.

Maybe Trump gave him and his team clearance? Unsure if the president has that power..."you seem like a nice guy, here is a badge that allows you access to xxxx".
I wouldn't approve of that decision if that is the case, especially given Musk's donations to Trumps campaign.

[Jim at Gentex]

I don't know that Musk or his band of kids can be trusted. I have no idea what they're doing in there and neither does anyone else.

Of course. But do auditors come in a lock an entire agency down so that nobody can see what they're doing? That isn't exactly transparency.

They've at least been vetted?  I have thought about that too.

We just said Musk has probably been vetted 10x more than anyone simply because of his DoD interactions.

The DOGE complainers are simply deflecting because there are swamp creatures ON BOTH SIDES of the aisle who DON'T WANT full accountability, nor do they want to see Trump succeed at ANYTHING.

That is the real issue here. 

[Incogneeto]

Pretty sure him having been vetted for doing work for the DOD doesn't give him clearance to check out others financial records.

Maybe Trump gave him and his team clearance? Unsure if the president has that power..."you seem like a nice guy, here is a badge that allows you access to xxxx".
I wouldn't approve of that decision if that is the case, especially given Musk's donations to Trumps campaign.

Trump already appointed him as a "Special Officer".

Kinda how Biden appointed Jack Smith to prosecute Trump.

"Goose/Gander"

[neurosis]

The DOGE complainers are simply deflecting because there are swamp creatures ON BOTH SIDES of the aisle who DON'T WANT full accountability, nor do they want to see Trump succeed at ANYTHING.

That is the real issue here.

There are conservative's that aren't exactly on board with what's going on either. Not what he's trying to accomplish, but how he's going about it.

I know it's easier to dismiss everything if you can blame it on TDS.

[Jeff]

There are conservative's that aren't exactly on board with what's going on either. Not what he's trying to accomplish, but how he's going about it.

And why do you think that is?
Because they're afraid of what DOGE will find, and/or take away their secret slush fund.

Does anyone really believe that we actually spent money for a DEI program in Serbian schools?

[beej]

It seems like this is something Americans want.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/what-to-know-about-usaid-and-why-its-a-target-for-the-trump-administration

About 6 in 10 U.S. adults said the U.S. government was spending "too much" overall on foreign aid, according to a March 2023 AP-NORC poll. Asked about specific costs, roughly 7 in 10 U.S. adults said the U.S. government was putting too much money toward assistance to other countries. About 9 in 10 Republicans and 55% of Democrats agreed that the country was overspending on foreign aid. At the time, about 6 in 10 U.S. adults said the government was spending "too little" on domestic issues that included education, health care, infrastructure, Social Security and Medicare.

[Jim at Gentex]

Good summary from Forbes...
https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/these-are-the-top-usaid-recipients-from-religious-groups-to-major-u-s-companies-as-trump-targets-agency/ar-AA1ylN1P?ocid=entnewsntp&pc=U531&cvid=4a106e8091a841cd9bb725c2ccda12f4&ei=22

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) implement the majority (52%) of USAID programs, while public international organizations administer 34%, the U.S. government is responsible for about 10% and foreign governments implement about 4%, according to a CRS study of USAID non-military funding between fiscal years 2013-2022.

Among public international organizations, which are formed via a partnership between foreign governments, the World Bank Group was the top recipient of non-military USAID assistance, receiving more than $20 billion between fiscal years 2013 and 2022, followed by the World Food Program, which received more than $15 billion.

For-profit firms received 40% of all USAID NGO funding in the nine-year period included in the CRS report, with four receiving at least $1 billion.

Not a word about Congressional oversight for all of that money, because there is none.
Take a look at the top 10 list of recipients of these billions of dollars:

Top Ngo Usaid Recipients (fiscal Years 2013-2022)

1. Catholic Relief Services: $4.6 billion (nonprofit)

2. Chemonics International: $4.5 billion (for-profit)

3. FHI 360: $3.8 billion (nonprofit)

4. Development Alternatives, Inc.: $3 billion (for-profit)

5. ABT Associates, Inc.: $2.6 billion (for-profit)

6. RTI International: $2.3 billion (research institute)

7. John Snow International: $1.8 billion (nonprofit)

8. Save the Children Federation, Inc.: $1.5 billion (nonprofit)

9. ARD, Inc.: $1.5 billion (nonprofit)

10. Jhpiego Corporation: $1.3 billion (nonprofit)

Hmmmmmm...Catholic Relief Services at #1...

Where are the 'church-and-state' folks on this issue? 
Sounds to me like a crapton of money going DIRECTLY to a religious organization.

I guess they are selective with their outrage. 

[MIL-TFP-41]

We just said Musk has probably been vetted 10x more than anyone simply because of his DoD interactions.

You don't mind a guy who has 10's or 100's of billions in .gov contracts all of the sudden having access to the innermost workings of who he is getting the contracts from? Vetted or not, that raises some huge ethical flags.

The problem with an appointed official vs an elected one having access to this information is at least people chose the elected official.

[MIL-TFP-41]

Trump already appointed him as a "Special Officer".

Kinda how Biden appointed Jack Smith to prosecute Trump.

"Goose/Gander"

Now we are back to the precedent this could set for the future. Biden did it, so trump can do it just a little more. The next guy or girl will continue the trend.

[neurosis]

I guess they are selective with their outrage. 

I'm finding that to be a very common theme in politics.   

[Incogneeto]

Now we are back to the precedent this could set for the future. Biden did it, so trump can do it just a little more. The next guy or girl will continue the trend.

Not a precedent a Comparison.

The precedent is all Bidens.

[neurosis]

We definitely need more reaction emoji's.